Remote work and freedom of movement: the profile of the location-independent professional in Italy

They often work while travelling, far from their usual headquarters. In Italy, according to Istat, 3.4 million people regularly work remotely and around 350 thousand professionals not linked to a company regularly move to improve their quality of life: a number that has more than doubled in six years. From the study, it emerges that 73% of freelancers have opened the VAT number to be able to work anywhere, and for 37% there is no figure that can make them give up this freedom. Although there is no official definition, the profile coincides with that of the "Location-Independent Professional".

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The main driver is the need to change the environment or regenerate (28%), followed by the passion for travel (25%). Work demands (21%) and the desire to spend more time with family and friends (20%) also play a role. Four in ten cite freedom, flexibility and better harmony between work and private life as the main benefits. The difficulties instead concern unreliable connections, lack of adequate spaces, fragile routines and increased travel costs. Despite the obstacles, 49% plan to move more in 2027, while 29% would like to do so but cannot for economic or family reasons.

The desire to leave does not always coincide with the practice. 56% work outside the home for less than a month a year, often during holidays, 20% between one and two months. 14% spend more than six months elsewhere, to optimize costs or experience more favorable seasons. The duration of individual trips is also short: 73% stay away for less than a week, 18% for around a month and only 3% for more than six months. The destination matters less than the possibility of moving: for almost four out of ten it is indifferent. 31% prefer the sea, 18% the mountains. Big cities (9%) and rural villages (6%) are less attractive.

The possibility of leaving whenever you want seems to be worth more than the trip itself. "Freedom is something deeper than the concrete possibility of moving" observes Enrico Mattiazzi, CEO of Fiscozen. According to Mattiazzi, you may never leave, or do so rarely, but knowing that you can work anywhere changes the way you experience your work. In reality, budgets, clients, sectors and routines are involved: this is why professional freedom cannot be measured by the kilometers travelled. It's not the journey that defines her. It's knowing you can choose.

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